Wales overcomes tired Azzurri

Wales booked itself a rugby World Cup quarter-final berth with a 27-15 win over Italy last night in a do-or-die encounter at Canberra Stadium.

Despite having their most successful World Cup campaign with two wins, the Italians failed to achieve their goal of making the top eight.

The tired Azzurri refused to give up as they pushed Wales for the entire 80 minutes, despite having just three days to recover from Tuesday's encounter with Canada.

But in the end Wales' three tries were enough to secure victory and a quarter-final spot.

Italy - which played its four pool games in just 14 days - opened the scoring in the eighth minute when New Zealand-born five-eighth Rima Wakarua kicked the first penalty goal of the night.

He finished the night with 15 points to his credit. A minute after, Welsh winger Mark Jones slipped down the sideline to sneak past the defence and score the opening try.

Centre Iestyn Harris converted the try to give Wales a 7-3 lead.

Despite Italy being on the attack for most of the next 10 minutes, Harris gave Wales more breathing space when he added another penalty goal for a 10-3 lead.

Wakarua tightened the score to 10-6 in Wales' favour in the 26th minute but Harris replied with a penalty goal of his own.

Wakarua kicked a third penalty goal in the 32nd minute but a failed attempt at an intercept by an Italian player opened the door for Wales centre Sonny Parker to cross for the second - and match-winning - try of the night.

Welsh flanker Dafydd Jones ruined Italy's night when he scored his team's third try in the 63rd minute and Harris converted for a 27-15 unbeatable lead.